You are not alone if you have been trying to keep the cost of food down by hunting for the best bargains during your weekly food shop.

Many households will have also been cutting back on takeaways (including myself) as staple items continue to rise in price and take priority over a McDonald’s feast or a Chinese banquet.

But sometimes after a bad week at work or when life gets to you over the smallest of things, a takeaway or meal out can be just what you need – stuffing my face with greasy fries has often done the trick for me.

To make the best of both worlds, Aldi has launched their very own peri-peri range inspired by Nando’s which is “up to 54% cheaper” than the rival Portuguese-themed chain.

Daily Echo: There are different variations of chicken as part of Aldi's latest collectionThere are different variations of chicken as part of Aldi's latest collection (Image: Newsquest)

I decided to compare a variety of items, from lemon and herb chicken thighs to scorching chicken breast sizzlers to see if this fakeaway could be the alternative “cheeky” treat.

Is Aldi’s new peri-peri range better than Nando’s?

First of all, as someone who loves olives this bowl full created by Aldi was fresh and included what I think were little mushrooms which was something I hadn’t seen before – the mix with green and black olives, peppers and oil drizzled across with herbs made a good starter.

The Houmous with Peri Drizzle had the right texture of the irresistible dip but for me, I was hoping for a little bit more flavour.

However, Aldi has nailed the spice when it comes to the new peri-peri range, particular items that stood out to me were the Peri Peri Seasoned Fries and the Rooster’s Wing Roulette.

I have to admit, I would never choose the wing roulette at Nando’s because medium spice is my limit (pathetic, I know) but I decided to buckle up my taste buds for Aldi and I was really impressed with the different levels.

On the topic of flavour, Rooster’s Breast Sizzlers (lemon and herb) genuinely tasted the same as the classic Nando’s sauce for those who want to stay away from the heat (no judgement here).

I also chose the Rooster’s Half Chicken in medium peri-peri which had just the right amount of juice inside and spice on the crispy skin – there was plenty of meat too.

For non-meat eaters, the Plant Menu Peri-Peri No Chicken was also seasoned with a really good spice but I found the texture to be a little heavy (this is just a personal preference).

As well as the Peri-Peri Seasoned Fries, I sampled other sides other than the Spicy Rice or Rainbow Slaw which wasn't in stock at my local store.

Daily Echo: What's your go-to spice to eat at Nando's?What's your go-to spice to eat at Nando's? (Image: Newsquest)

Not to worry, as I dived into the rest and discovered the Mighty Peas were again packed with flavour.

However, I felt as though they were a little soggy but it could be down to my questionable cooking skills.

The tub of Spicy Corn on the Cob must be up there with one of my favourite variations of corn on the cob and I could have snacked on this all day, even if it was a little messy to cook when coating the cobs with spicy sauce.

I would also give the Mini Garlic Bread a solid 10/10 for garlic and cheese quantities with a delightful dough that wasn’t stodgy.

Overall, Aldi’s peri-peri range inspired by Nando’s certainly gives the high-street restaurant company a run for its money.

I normally spend around £15 for a meal at Nando’s, yet this entire collection cost around £30.

Daily Echo: The Mini Garlic Bread is a must try from Aldi's new peri-peri rangeThe Mini Garlic Bread is a must try from Aldi's new peri-peri range (Image: Newsquest)

See Aldi’s full ‘cheeky Nando’s’ inspired range

Starters

  • Houmous with Peri Drizzle (99p, 150g)
  • Olives (£1.69, 120g)

Mains

  • Rooster’s Half Chicken Lemon and Herb/Medium Peri-Peri (£3.99, 900g)
  • Rooster’s Thigh Fillets Lemon and Herb/Medium Peri-Peri (£3.29, 360g)
  • Rooster’s Breast Sizzlers Lemon and Herb/Medium/Hot Peri-Peri (£3.69, 400g)
  • Rooster’s Wing Roulette (£4.99, 1.1kg)
  • Plant Menu Peri-Peri No Chicken (£1.99, 240g)

Sides

  • Spicy Rice (£1.99, 280g)
  • Mighty Peas (£1.99, 300g)
  • Spicy Corn on the Cob (£1.99, 255g)
  • Mini Garlic Bread (£1.29, 145g)
  • Peri-Peri Seasoned Fries (£1.49, 255g)
  • Rainbow Slaw (£0.79, 180g)
  • Coleslaw (79p, 180g)

Sauces

  • Peri Peri Mayo (£0.99, 150g)

Aldi’s new fakeaway range is available in store and via Click & Collect now.